- Location
- Argyll and Bute
when do people put creep feeders out
when do people put creep feeders out
- Thread starter john mc d
- Start date
bobajob
Member
- Location
- Sw Scotland
To what? Suckled calves?
About five weeks before the Mule ewe-lamb sales?
- Location
- Cheshire
Spring Calves? Anytime now
Lambs? March/April with a bit of luck!!
Lambs? March/April with a bit of luck!!
Pistonbroke
Member
Some have creep before colostrum
- Location
- Argyll and Bute
yes sorry should have said spring born suckled calves
Stw88
Member
- Location
- Northumberland
as soon as you can with a little feed in to get them onto it. We’re normally restricted until ewes are weaned and away to the fell. If you start sooner when you do want to start to kick them on there using the feeders well.
bobajob
Member
- Location
- Sw Scotland
1st of August is usual time about here. Calves are getting bigger by then and grass quality and quantity can go down.
Surprising how much they can eat!
Traditionally, now
I experimented last year, and instead of selling off their mothers at housing, kept the cows milking until end of January.
Once speaned, the cows were onto "traditional" belly filler forage until nearer calving.
The calves were put onto the dairy grass "rocket fuel" bales they'd all been getting when the cows were still milking.
Sold the Shorthorn and simental crosses this spring. Averaged £1115 a head at average of 12 months.
Even after paying for straw bedding and the extra 200 bales needed to feed sheep last winter, there was far more profit per head than buying in creep feed and selling the calves in the autumn.
It's taken a couple of years to be able to get things in place to achieve this though. Needed to reseed for better quality grass, which needs cut, tedded, and baled ideally within 24 hours. There's more fertiliser needed, though that's offset for next year with more dung from housing the calves all winter.
Is it the solution for hill farmers trying to rear suckler calves when the subsidies go?
Not a bloody chance
I experimented last year, and instead of selling off their mothers at housing, kept the cows milking until end of January.
Once speaned, the cows were onto "traditional" belly filler forage until nearer calving.
The calves were put onto the dairy grass "rocket fuel" bales they'd all been getting when the cows were still milking.
Sold the Shorthorn and simental crosses this spring. Averaged £1115 a head at average of 12 months.
Even after paying for straw bedding and the extra 200 bales needed to feed sheep last winter, there was far more profit per head than buying in creep feed and selling the calves in the autumn.
It's taken a couple of years to be able to get things in place to achieve this though. Needed to reseed for better quality grass, which needs cut, tedded, and baled ideally within 24 hours. There's more fertiliser needed, though that's offset for next year with more dung from housing the calves all winter.
Is it the solution for hill farmers trying to rear suckler calves when the subsidies go?
Not a bloody chance
Last edited:
M-J-G
Member
Feeders go out here about 6 weeks before weaning. Any later and the calves that are off better milking cows haven't gone into them much.
The calves from the lazy cows and the twins usually catch on within a week or so, but it's usually the couple of weeks pre weaning that they feeders need topped up regularly.
The calves from the lazy cows and the twins usually catch on within a week or so, but it's usually the couple of weeks pre weaning that they feeders need topped up regularly.
Not at all
Only small herd. Weaned 8 calves last week in November and sent cows away to their winter field. Calves kept in shed for 4 or 5 days so they knew where hay and shelter was then let them out. They spent most of the time outside wandering around the woods and fields, even in the snow, used 2 bales of straw for bedding and 6 bales of hay before being sold at the end of February to make way for lambing. Got a good price that I was happy with and no big feed bill to whittle away my margin. Hereford X cows put to Hereford bull. Kind winter last year in sunny south wales
M-J-G
Member
Exceptional
